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Photo courtesy Lornagrl.
Carol Albert, owner of the Astroland amusement park on Coney Island, announced today that she has given up trying to negotiate a new lease with developer Joe Sitt, to whom she sold her property in 2006 for $30 million. Albert had promised to shut down permanently if Sitt did not offer her a lease for two years at the same rate by 1 p.m. today. Sitt spokesman Stefan Friedman tells the Post the developer won't negotiate "through the media or with a gun held to his head."
Though Albert's lease doesn't expire until January, she said she needs the extra months to sell off her rides. According to the Post, many involved with the Coney Island development had expected Astroland to return in 2009 because the city is at least a year away from implementing a controversial rezoning plan that would replace the park and other attractions with new amusements. But Albert's lawyer stressed that Astroland has seen expenses increase since last year, particularly a $700,000 surge in insurance costs.
Sitt plans to replace Astroland, which has been open for 46 years, with new amusements next season. The landmarked Cyclone rollercoaster and the Wonder Wheel will remain, but the future size and look of the Coney Island amusement area is still undecided.
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If that holds, that's uterly depressing. RIP Astroland.
The city needs to landmark this... I cannot believe another national treasure will be torn down in the name of greed.
Oh boy new sucky amusements. Just like every place else. Terrific.
I kinda shot an ode to astroland. Music courtesy of my little brother.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCZ3S0jeEAM
RIP Guy on roof next to rocketship.
the wonderwheel and the cyclone are staying- that's good. i'm not going to weep for the loss of some carnival rides and games. it's historic, yes, but it's not like they're tearing down the statue of liberty.
I have to say I feel less bad knowing that she sold the underlying property for so much damn money. It's not really the "poor business owner being driven out by the landlord" thing when she's got $30 million in her pocket. She chose to give up control of the property and now she has lost it. It's a shame for the city but it seems like another sentimental landmark is being destroyed by a fight between property owners. UGH.
UWS girl is right - Carol Albert willingly sold the property...I've got no sympathy for her, in fact I agree with the broker she's trying to force their hand by threatening to not come back if they don't get a deal by some arbritary date she's made up.
I like the Cyclone, Bump your ass off bumper cars and the shiska-bob place down by the stadium, the rest of it close for all I care.
I agree with upperwestsidegirl but I hate to hear the news just the same.
The old Penn Station, Yankee Stadium, Coney Island...
..if Notre Dame Cathedral were built in New York it would be a parking lot or condos now.
The point isn't what you like or don't like at Coney. Imagine how it's going to look all ripped up like the go-carts and batting cages were. This is really tragic and just another nail in the coffin. You can't save coney if there's nothing left to save.
I wouldn't put it past Thor to build a new coaster to compete with the Cyclone just out of spite.
Coneyisland.com bulletin board has Carol Albert's statement. There's also a post where some insider said that the city basically forced Carol Albert to sell her property since she could not adhere to making it a year round attraction. She's in her 70's and her kids apparently don't want to run an amusement park. Some of you should seek out facts and realize how much pressure the city and developers who are always in bed together put on the remaining mom and pops in this city. This happens all the time, if she tries to fight it, the city can invoke eminent domain and she and her family get nothing. Don't be so naive people. Nothing is cut and dry.
yeah right, nothing is cut and dry except the blood money of 30 million. apologists and naysayers will rant and rave, but the truth is, someone (in this case carol albert) took the money. she is as much the one at fault here for destroying astroland and by extension the last remnants of coney island.
The default position with this sort of thing is the developer is an evil bastard, but in this case money has already changed hands. Everyone else is the big loser here.
suepart Apologists? More like realists. I guess you can't comprehend how big city politics works... Being forced to sell or face eminent domain happens all the time in this city.
And to think Saddam's WMD's were right there on the roof all along.
I hope Burgerman and Burgergirl go into a museum.
I honestly don't know what's going to be best for Coney Island. I do know that the thought of losing Astroland makes my sentimental heart ache with sadness. My greatest concern is for those who work there. Here's a look at some of their faces...
http://homepage.mac.com/baileyphoto/Sites/Astroland/index.html
wow, i wish someone would force me to take $30M.
baileyphoto Thanks for posting those pics. They're wonderful.
I grew up at Coney Island in the 1950's I have seen changes since then. When they took Steepchase down and left an weed empty lot in its place and coney island came back. The real symbol of the amusement area is the Wonderwheel,Parachute Jump(12 beautiful parachute floating down all at once) and the Cyclone Rollercoaster. It was first Ward's Playland before Astroland and give it some time it maybe Better than you can imagine.
Coney Island is a thoroughly depressing place. I would not want to waste my time weeping for the loss of anything there.